Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-29
ALL ABOUT SLANG.
1t Is as Old as spc och ITSELF, and
Is Being Added TO
Daily.
Tho Slang Expressions IN vogae il
1914 Now Almost Entirely
Superseded.

OLD IS TIC HILLS.
"SIsug, Q burlesque or colloquial form
OF expression, and language o: low humor,
or 'le jGIgon OF thieves and vserant5.'
Thus, C 20 this effect, the eEcy ]ope6ias,'
ard il Looks very baa fer slang. But it
probably isl't as bad as paiated. II Ger
tain.y y not il antiquity IS apy palliative,
for the authorities continue: "SisGg is
! probsbl7 SIS old ss human speech. We
| fiGd trees c. 1t in many Of the early
writer's, particularly the Greek s1d
/ Roman Gramatjsts; and the works OF
Arlstophanes, Plsutus, Terence. aad Mar
| tial sbou1d with words which the puC-
isis Of hair Gay would not nave reUog-
med"
Books Eve been writtan Oh he worlds
slang, and mighty interesting reeding
it makes, toe. Newspapers could be fiji
! ed with discussion Of The subject, but
such is rot intended in this sketch. The
desire Is simply 10 Tuu 20 earth one or
TWO OF the Legitimate words and PHRASES
inst have of late crept into Glmost SER
eral usa~e. While, thank goodness.
Amerlca does not boast Of a distinctive
thieves slang, or "pattcr," like some
older countries, she hss cone 10 be re-
gsrGad as ct the head CT the procession IN
evolving cute words Ind expressions IS
in everything else. A clever or apprC
priGte thing is said at inc right moment
and With the quickness so typical Of tire
American race they 'ca'Ch on" ana the
tIfie light 2s cir lives ald tlfiyes, aEd al
last in rqany instances linds It's Wa7 into
I dictionary. Tae ladleF, God bless 'em.
ere to blame or be blessed for this, IS the
case may be, fer they are quick to utilize
the latest "gag," aud though the practice
is 10 be deprecated, still the words arc
used 80 artiessly and sound so cunning
from fair lips that one hiss not the heart
to be very severe n TepTCCt. II IS not
pleasant 10 be accOsted by ones five year
Old hopeful as san cid anuoZeI" or &c
hear one's short skirted but high-splTited
daughter BID her brother "coma eff the
perch" but the higdly proper reproof sd
ninietered is often cut short, SO that
psterfaTnilias may go behind inc door
and laugh TO himself.
ice Quick, comedian, vocalist, com.
POSER, crack life shot, theatrical mana
ger and goodness Knows WHIST else, sew
the drift of things in 1874 when he dashed
o # the following rhyme, calling it Grand
, pas Sci!oquy":
1t wasn't so when was young,
We used plain Language then;
We didn't speak of Them galoots,'
When meaning boys and men.
When speaking of the nice hand-write
or Joe, or Tom, or BIZ,
We cid 1t plain-We didn't say,
ale swings 3 nasty quill"
An when we seed gal we liked,
Who never failed TO please,
W. called her pretty, neat, and gCoc,
But not "about the cheese"
Wei, when we met good old friend
we hsdu't lately eeen,
We erected him-but didn't say,
Hello, you old sardinc."
The boys sometimes got mad and fit;
: We spoke of hicks ana blows;
, But now they "whaCk him In the snoot,'
And paste him on the nose"
once when a youth waa turned away
I From her he held most dear,
lie wall &c OIL on his feet-but now
He ''Crawls oil on his ear"
We used to dance when l was young,
And used } can II so;
But now they dOn't-they only "eltnC
: The light fantastic toe
OF death we spoke in language plain,
! That no one did perpleN,
! But in these days enc doesn't de
G He passes In mis- CHECKS"
J We preised a man Of common sense;
= Ills judgments good" we said;
0 But now they say, Gwen, that old plum
4 Has got level head"
LIS rather sad the children now
Il Are learning ali such talk;
G They've learned TO chin instead OF chat,
7 Ard waltz" instead of walk.
l. To little Hsrry Yesterday
q Ny grandchilu, aged two
: l said "You love grandpa" Said he:
;, you bet your boots do"
J, The children bowed 10 strangers once;
I 1t Is no longer go
20 The little girIs, as well as boys,
. Now greet you with "Hello!"
,r Oh, give ne back the good old days,
+, When both the old and young
y Conyersed in plain, old fashion words,
u And slang was never slung.
20 Poor Joe Gulick, that wss about Il
last thing he ever wrote. His bones no
!. Whiten in Cincinnati cemetery. Coul
:. he but come around now and hear the a.
- ditions to the street phrases OF the ds
Il during the last yesr or two he would
surprised. Below are few with the
Gerivations.
'THE RAZZLE-DAZZLE."
The old philosopher had just come To-
of the billiaTd-room.
is a queer figure this, with high chez
~ bones, squiline nose, pursed lips and ar
Mo forahpsd around which hung in ui